Electric tool having an optical control element

Abstract

An electric power tool comprises one or more optical waveguides which are combined with a shaped body so as to form a support element having a stable shape. The light guides may be part of optical switches or sensors. The support element ensures protection of the optical waveguides from vibrations, dust and so on, whereby a high level of operational reliability is ensured.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electric tool comprising:
 a housing; 
 an electric motor for driving a tool; 
 a shaped body having a plurality of recesses, said shaped body being a preformed, independently supported part, separate from said housing, said shaped body being assembled with a plurality of optical waveguides received in said recesses to a self-supported dimensionally stable unit mounted to said housing; and 
 an optical control element for controlling said electric tool, comprising at least one of said waveguides and an optical sensor; 
 wherein said optical waveguides are shaped three-dimensionally to deviate from a plane in more than one direction to provide a desired shape; 
 wherein said shaped body is a non-planar plate that is suitably shaped in the direction of extension of said optical waveguides and is assembled between said electric motor and an inner surface of said housing, thereby protecting said waveguides extending along said motor. 
 
     
     
       2. The electric tool of  claim 1 , wherein said optical control element comprises an optical switch. 
     
     
       3. The electric tool of  claim 1 , wherein said optical control element comprises two optical waveguides, a transmitter element and a receiver element, as well as a control element configured for influencing light signals transmitted between the optical waveguides. 
     
     
       4. The electric tool as defined in  claim 3 , wherein said shaped body comprises a support for at least one element selected from the group formed by a transmitter element, a receiver element, and a control element. 
     
     
       5. The electric tool of  claim 1 , wherein said shaped body is mated to said housing for sealing components supported thereon against environmental influences, wherein said components are selected from the group formed by an optical waveguide, a transmitter element, a receiver element, a control element, and a switching element. 
     
     
       6. The electric tool of  claim 1 , wherein said shaped body comprises a material selected from the group formed by a vibration-damping material and an acoustically damping material. 
     
     
       7. An electric tool comprising:
 a housing; 
 an electric motor for driving a tool; 
 a shaped body having at least one recess; 
 at least one optical control element comprising at least one optical waveguide supported within said recess and an optical sensor; 
 said optical waveguide together with said shaped body forming a self-supported dimensionally stable support element being configured for mounting within said housing; 
 wherein said optical control element is configured for controlling said electrical tool; and 
 wherein said optical waveguides are shaped three-dimensionally to deviate from a plane in more than one direction to provide a desired shape; 
 wherein said shaped body is a non-planar plate that is suitably shaped in the direction of extension of said optical waveguides and is fitted to said housing between an inner surface of said housing and said electric motor, thereby protecting said waveguides that extend within said shaped body along said motor. 
 
     
     
       8. The electric tool of  claim 7 , wherein said optical control element comprises an optical switch. 
     
     
       9. The electric tool of  claim 7 , wherein said optical control element comprises two optical waveguides, a transmitter element and a receiver element, as well as a control element configured for influencing light signals transmitted between the optical waveguides. 
     
     
       10. The electric tool as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said shaped body comprises a support for at least one element selected from the group formed by a transmitter element, a receiver element, and a control element. 
     
     
       11. The electric tool of  claim 7 , wherein said support element is mated to said housing for sealing components supported thereon against environmental influences, wherein said components are selected from the group formed by an optical waveguide, a transmitter element, a receiver element, a control element, and a switching element. 
     
     
       12. The electric tool of  claim 7 , wherein said shaped body comprises a material selected from the group formed by a vibration-damping material and an acoustically damping material. 
     
     
       13. An electric tool comprising:
 a housing; 
 an electric motor for driving a tool; 
 a shaped body having a plurality of recesses, said shaped body being a preformed, independently supported part, separate from said housing, said shaped body being assembled with a plurality of optical waveguides received in said recesses to form a self-supported dimensionally stable unit mounted to said housing; and 
 an optical control element for controlling said electric tool, comprising at least one of said waveguides and an optical sensor; 
 wherein said optical waveguides are shaped three-dimensionally to deviate from a plane in more than one direction to provide a desired shape; 
 wherein said shaped body is a non-planar plate that is suitably shaped in the direction of extension of said optical waveguides and is assembled between said electric motor and an inner surface of said housing, thereby protecting said waveguides that extend along said motor from a first end of the motor to a second end of the motor.